Clear top extractor



Oct. 18, 1932.

LE ROY C. SCHENCK CLEAR TOP EXTRACTOR Filed Feb. 4.'l929 2 sh t -sh et, 1

Lem C. sguelv K,

iNVENTOR BY flfl ATTORNEY 1932. LE ROY c. SCHENCK 6 CLEAR TOP EXTRAGTOR .Filed Feb. 4. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eno k LERO C.

- INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 18, 1932' V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LE ROY C. SOHENCK, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, .ASS'IGNOR TO TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CLEAR TOP EXTRACTOR Application filed February 4, 1929. Serial No. 337,346.

This invention relates-to extractors and particularly to extractors of the type em ployed in laundry establishments The invention has for its object to provide an efiicient extracting machine of the type wherein a container or basket is rotated about a vertical axis, and wherein the basket may be charged without an obstruction such as is incident to the usual type of overslung extractor.

Various means have been devised heretofore for reducing the harmful vibrational effects of centrifugal unbalance by mounting an extractor basket so that it is capable of lateral movement within the outer casing or curb.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a special mounting for an extractor basket together with a novel form of drive whereby the driving motor may be fixedly positioned, and the basket during rotation may move laterally with respect to the motor shaft without detrimental effects on the basket bearings.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel manner of coupling the main driving shaft to the basket spindle using a universal coupling and aspecial driving arrangement.

A still further feature pertains to the details of mounting an extractor basket-on a relatively light weight spider or the like which is suspended from the curb so that the basket and spider have substantial lateral freedom within the curb, to reduce the bad effects of centrifugal unbalance.

A still further feature pertains to the organization of elements which go to make up an eflicient extractor of the open or cleartop type and wherein the vibrations resultlng from centrifugal unbalance are without substantial detriment to the basket bearin 's.

?)ther features and advantages of the invention will be revealed in the following description and the appended claims.

Referrmg to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the machine in elevation and partly sectional in character.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the extractor comprises an outer casing or curb 1 which is cast integral with hollowof the fin 4:. As represented by the numeral 13 the opening in the tin member 4 is larger than the link 10 to provide sufficient play for said link for purposes described hereinafter, Suspended from the links 10 at the lower end thereof is a relatively light spiderlike member 14 which has four extensions or arms 16, 17 18 and 19 respectively The extensions 16, 17 and 18 are preferably spaced 120 apart and are positioned so that they may be attached to the suspension links 10. For this purpose the extensions of member 15 have openings in their ends loosely to peceive the lower threaded ends of the links As shown more clearly in Fig. 2 the ends of the extensions 15,thr0ugh which links 10 pass, are recessed to receive the resilient washers 20 and 21. The member 15 isadapted to be retained in adjusted position on the links 10 by means of oppositely disposed lock nuts 22 and 23. The central portion of the member 15 is cut-out in circular form and fastened to the edge of said cut-out portion bysuitalole bolts 24 is a bearing sleeve 25 which carries intermediate its ends an end-thrust bearing member 26 and one or more radial bearing faces 27. The lower central portion of the curb 1 is also cut-out to provide sufiicient clearance for the bearing 25. Supported on the step bearing 26 is a spindle 28 which also carries the radial bearings 29 and has its upper end tapered, as indicated by the numeral to accommodate a corresponding tapered opening in the central portion of the circular casting 31. Casting 31 forms the bottom of the extractor basket having perforated side walls 32, provided with reenforcing bands 32a. The basket is coupled to the spindle for rotation therewith by means of any suitable key represented by the numeral 33 and is held in its properly seated'posit-ion upon the spindle by means of an internally threaded extension 34 engaging a correspondingly threaded bushing 35 which in turn is threaded on the end of the spindle 28. The spindle has attached to its lower end, which extends below the member 15, a multi-grooved pulley 36. A corresponding pulley 37 is mounted for rotation on the extension 19 of the supporting spider 15 and a suitable transmission belt 38 passes around both 'said pulleys. .While an well known form of silent chain or belt drive may be employed, it is preferable to employ a series of adjacent V-shape grooved pulleys and belts of the Tex-rope type. For the purpose of transmitting rotary motion to the pulleys36 and 37 there is provided a driving motor 39 mounted on a frame 40 which is pivotally attached at 41 to the side of the curb for swinging movement relative thereto. A threaded projection 42 on the curb cooperating with a corresponding opening in the frame 40, and a set of lock-nuts 43 is provided for maintaining the motor in its adjusted position relative to the curb. The motor drives a vertical shaft 43 which carries a multi-grooved pulley 44. Suitably journalled in an extension 45 from the curb is a corresponding multi-grooved pulley 46 which is con led to the motor pulley 44 by a driving belt 4? preferably of the Tex-rope type. The rotary motion of pulley 46 is transmitted to the pulley 37 and thence to the basket spindle 28 by means of a counter shaft 48 which at its upper and lower ends is universally coupled to the pulleys 43 and 37 as represented by the numerals 49 and 50 respectively. Any well known form of universaljoint may be 7 used for this purpose, but it is preferred to employ a disc type universal such as that known to the trade as the Thermoid-Hardy drive. As shown in Fig. 2, the transmission mechanism including the motor and associated drive is enclosed in any suitable housing 51, and the lower pulley 37 is preferably adjustably mounted on arm 19 by means of bolts 52. A suitable brake 53 is provided for stopping the machine.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the bearing for the basket instead of being rigidly supported or attached to the curb is capable -of lateral movement within the curb because of the manner of suspending the member 15 by means of the links 10, which in turn are resiliently attached to the curb. Furthermore, the basket during the lateral movement resulting from centrifugal unbalance does not change the relative distance between the pulleys 36 and 37 which are on fixed centers. Furthermore, because of the universal connection between the motor and the pulley 37 the lateral vibrations of the basket are not transmitted to the motor and associated drivin mechanism. The supporting spider 15- being relatively light, the eccentric movement of the shaft spindle merely results in quick lateral displacements of said spider, and the links 10 being relatively long as compared to the maximum lateral movement of the spider, the centrifugal unbalance of the basket and contents results in substantially only a lateralan outer casing or curb, a basket adapted .to

rotate within said curb, a relatively light frame swingably suspended from said curb, a basket carried by said frame, a driving motor attached to the curb, a first pulley attached to the basket shaft, a second pulley on a fixed center with respect to the first puiley, and a shaft universally connected at opposite ends to the motor and to said second pulley respectively.

2. 11 member suspended within said curb, a basket rotatably mounted on said member, a motor mounted on said curb, means for coupling said motor to said basket comprising motion transmitting means concentric with said basket, other motion transmitting means mounted on said member and a connection between said motor and said other transmitting means. I

In an extractor of the open top type, the combination of a basket, a laterally movable support'on which said basket is mounted, a pulley attached tothe basket spindle, another pulley mounted on said support, a motor for driving said other pulley and a belt passing around the first pulley and said other pulley.

4. In an extractor of the open top type, a curb,'a basket within the curb, means for transmitting. rotary motion to the extractor basket comprising a pulley attached to the basket, anotherpulley for transmitting motion from a main driving shaft to the first pulley, both of said pulleys being capable an extractor, a curb, a supporting of lateral movement with respect to said said curb, a frame in which said basket is mounted for rotation, said frame being resiliently suspended from said curb, motion transmitting means carried by the basket shaft, and othermotion transmitting means mounted for rotation on said frame.

6. In an extractor of the open top type, a curb, a basket adapted to rotate Within said curb, a laterally movable supporting frame in which said basket is mounted for rotation, a pulley attached to the basket shaft, another pulley mounted outside the curb on said frame, a belt extending around both said pulleys, a fixed driving motor and a connec tion between said driving motor and said other pulley comprising a drive shaft having a universal joint therein.

7. An extractor according to the preceding claim in which the supporting frame is capable of lateral movement within the curb.

8. In an extractor of the open top type, an outer casing, a garment container mounted for rotation within the casing, a frame in which said basket is rotatably mounted, links for supporting said frame normally concentrically within said casing but permitting slight lateral movement of said frame, a main drive shaft mounted in fixed relation at the side of said casing, a pulley attached to the basket spindle, a pulley attached to said frame and a universal connection between said main shaft and the pulley on said frame.

9. In an extractor of the open top type, an outer casing or curb, a basket adapted to rotate within said curb, a spindle for said basket, a frame resiliently supported within said curb, a bearing for said spindle carried by said frame, said frame beino: capable of lateral bodily movement while said basket is rotating, a driving pulley for said spindle attached to said frame, a main driving shaft laterally disposed with respect to said curb, and a driving connection between said shaft and said pulley.

10. In anextractor of the open-top type, in combination, an outer casing or curb, a basket adapted to rotate about a vertical axis within said curb, a frame suspended within said curb and furnishing the sole support for a shaft upon which said basket is mounted, a drive shaft, said drive shaft having one end fixed and the other end relatively movable wlth respect to the curb, and means operatively connecting said drive shaft with said basket shaft.

11. In an extractor of the open top type, means for supporting a basket for rotation and for lateral movement within a curb com- P1 ].S111g a frame resiliently suspended from said casing, a pulley mounted on the said frame, and a driving shaft universally connected to said pulle 12. In an extractor of the clear top type, an. outer casing or curb, a basket adaptedto rotate within the curb and yieldingly suspended therefrom, a first pulley attached to the basket spindle and having a plurality of peripheral grooves, a second grooved pulley mounted on said frame exterior to said curb, a compound belt passing around both said pulleys, a drive shaft, and another shaft universally connected at one end to said drlve shaft and universally connected'at the other end to said second pulley.

13. In an extractor of the clear top type, an outer casing or curb, a basket adapted to rotate within said curb and mounted for lateral movement within said curb, a driving motor for said basket swingably attached to the outside of said curb, and means for adjusting the position of said motor with respect to said curb. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this 22nd day of Jan. 1929. 7

LE ROY C. SCHENCK. 

